HB 1414

                                           *HB1414.1*
                                                          January 22, 2026
          HOUSE BILL No. 1414
                _____
  DIGEST OF HB 1414 (Updated January 21, 2026 10:19 am - DI 148)
Citations Affected: IC 14-22; IC 14-23.
Synopsis: Forest management. Requires the department of natural
resources (department) to establish recreational fees for the access and
use of state forest land. Provides that the department shall ensure that
at all times: (1) 10% of state forest land consists of forests that are 100
years or older; and (2) 10% of state forest land consists of forests that
are 20 years or younger. Provides that money in the state forestry fund
does not revert to the state general fund. Establishes various restrictions
on landowner liability to recreational users.
Effective: July 1, 2026.
        Baird, Bartels, Jackson C
   January 8, 2026, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
   January 22, 2026, amended, reported — Do Pass. Referred to Committee on Ways and
Means pursuant to Rule 126.3.
HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150
                                                                             January 22, 2026
            Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)
 PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
 Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
 additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
   Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
 provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
 word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
 a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
  Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
 between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
                   HOUSE BILL No. 1414
    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
 natural and cultural resources.
     Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1    SECTION 1. IC 14-22-10-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.113-2019,
2 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. (a) As used in this section and section 2.5 of
4 this chapter, "governmental entity" means any of the following:
5(1) The government of the United States of America.
6(2) The state.
7(3) A county.
8(4) A city.
9(5) A town.
10(6) A township.
11(7) The following, if created by the Constitution of the United
12States, the Constitution of the State of Indiana, a statute, an
13ordinance, a rule, or an order:
14(A) An agency.
15(B) A board.
16(C) A commission.
17(D) A committee.
 HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150
                                     2
1(E) A council.
2(F) A department.
3(G) A district.
4(H) A public body corporate and politic.
5     (b) As used in this section and section 2.5 of this chapter, "monetary
6 consideration" means a fee or other charge for permission to go upon
7 a tract of land. The term does not include:
8(1) the gratuitous sharing of game, fish, or other products of the
9recreational use of the land;
10(2) services rendered for the purpose of wildlife management; or
11(3) contributions in kind made for the purpose of wildlife
12management.
13     (c) As used in this section and section 2.5 of this chapter, "owner"
14 means a governmental entity or another person that:
15(1) has a fee interest in;
16(2) is a tenant, a lessee, or an occupant of; or
17(3) is in control of;
18 a tract of land.
19     (d) A person who goes upon or through the premises, including
20 caves, of another:
21(1) with or without permission; and
22(2) either:
23(A) without the payment of monetary consideration; or
24(B) with the payment of monetary consideration directly or
25indirectly on the person's behalf by an agency of the state or
26federal government;
27 for the purpose of swimming, camping, hiking, sightseeing, exercising,
28 cycling, or accessing or departing from a trail, a greenway, or another
29 similar area, or for any other purpose (other than the purposes
30 described in section 2.5 of this chapter) does not have an assurance that
31 the premises are safe for the purpose. is subject to the limitations of
32 liability granted to the owner of the premises described in
33 subsection (e).
34     (e) The owner of the premises does not
35(1) assume responsibility; or
36(2) incur liability;
37 for an injury to a person or property caused by an act or failure to act
38 of other persons using the premises. assume responsibility or incur
39 liability for an injury or damage to a:
40(1) person caused by:
41(A) an act; or
42(B) the failure to act;
 HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150
                                    3
1of another person using the premises;
2(2) person caused by a condition on the land; or
3(3) person's property caused by:
4(A) the act of another person using the premises; or
5(B) a condition on the land.
6    (f) This section does not affect the following:
7(1) Existing Indiana case law on the liability of owners or
8possessors of premises with respect to the following:
9(A) Business invitees in commercial establishments.
10(B) Invited guests.
11(1) Business invitees in for-profit establishments.
12(2) The attractive nuisance doctrine.
13    (g) This section does not excuse the owner or occupant of premises
14 from liability for injury to a person or property caused by a malicious
15 or an illegal act of the owner or occupant.
16    SECTION 2. IC 14-23-1-1 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
17 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. The department shall
18 do the following:
19(1) Have the care, custody, and control of the forest land owned
20by the state, exclusive of state parks.
21(2) Adopt necessary rules to properly enforce this chapter.
22(3) Establish, operate, and maintain nurseries for the production
23of trees to be used in reforestation. The trees may be:
24(A) used to reforest land owned by the state;
25(B) supplied to owners of private land at a price not exceeding
26cost of production; or
27(C) used for planting on public roads or land under the terms
28that are considered by the department to be for the public
29benefit.
30(4) Prepare, print, post, or distribute printed matter relating to
31forestry.
32(5) Make investigations or experiments with regard to forestry
33questions.
34(6) Subject to the approval of the governor, purchase land and
35forests. For the purpose of acquiring land and forests, the
36commission may exercise the right of eminent domain in the
37manner provided in IC 14-17-3.
38(7) Receive and accept, in the name of the people of Indiana, by
39gift or devise, the fee or other estate in land or forests.
40(8) Examine the forest land owned by the state or by a state
41institution for the purpose of advising and cooperating in securing
42proper forest management of the land.
 HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150
                                      4
1(9) Employ, with approval of the authorities having control of the
2state penal institutions, convicts committed to a penal institution
3for the purpose of producing or planting trees, building roads, or
4doing other work in the forests and in clearing, draining, or
5developing land purchased or acquired by the state for forestry
6purposes.
7(10) Propagate trees and shrubs for state institutions or for
8planting along highways. A common carrier may transport trees
9or shrubs grown by the state at a rate less than the established
10tariff to and from points within Indiana.
11(11) Have the custody of all abstracts of title, papers, contracts, or
12related memoranda, except original deeds to the state, for land
13purchased or received under this section.
14(12) Examine private forest land:
15(A) upon request of; and
16(B) at the expense of;
17the owner for the purpose of advising the owner on the proper
18methods of forest management.
19(13) Establish recreational fees for individuals accessing and
20using state forest land.
21(14) Investigate new revenue raising methods to help carry
22out the purposes described in IC 14-23-3-4.
23(15) Ensure at all times that ten percent (10%) of state forest
24acreage consists of forests that are one hundred (100) years or
25older.
26(16) Ensure at all times that ten percent (10%) of state forest
27acreage consists of forests that are twenty (20) years or
28younger.
29    SECTION 3. IC 14-23-3-5 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
30 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 5. (a) All income
31 derived from:
32(1) the sale of state forest land; or
33(2) the sale of products of from state forest land; or
34(3) recreational fees for accessing and using state forest land;
35 shall be deposited in the fund.
36    (b) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not
37 revert to the state general fund.
 HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150
                                5
                   COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Natural Resources, to which was
referred House Bill 1414, has had the same under consideration and
begs leave to report the same back to the House with the
recommendation that said bill be amended as follows:
Page 1, between the enacting clause and line 1, begin a new
paragraph and insert:
"SECTION 1. IC 14-22-10-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.113-2019,
SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. (a) As used in this section and section 2.5 of
this chapter, "governmental entity" means any of the following:
  (1) The government of the United States of America.
  (2) The state.
  (3) A county.
  (4) A city.
  (5) A town.
  (6) A township.
  (7) The following, if created by the Constitution of the United
  States, the Constitution of the State of Indiana, a statute, an
  ordinance, a rule, or an order:
     (A) An agency.
     (B) A board.
     (C) A commission.
     (D) A committee.
     (E) A council.
     (F) A department.
     (G) A district.
     (H) A public body corporate and politic.
(b) As used in this section and section 2.5 of this chapter, "monetary
consideration" means a fee or other charge for permission to go upon
a tract of land. The term does not include:
  (1) the gratuitous sharing of game, fish, or other products of the
  recreational use of the land;
  (2) services rendered for the purpose of wildlife management; or
  (3) contributions in kind made for the purpose of wildlife
  management.
(c) As used in this section and section 2.5 of this chapter, "owner"
means a governmental entity or another person that:
  (1) has a fee interest in;
  (2) is a tenant, a lessee, or an occupant of; or
  (3) is in control of;
HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150
                               6
a tract of land.
(d) A person who goes upon or through the premises, including
caves, of another:
   (1) with or without permission; and
   (2) either:
      (A) without the payment of monetary consideration; or
      (B) with the payment of monetary consideration directly or
      indirectly on the person's behalf by an agency of the state or
      federal government;
for the purpose of swimming, camping, hiking, sightseeing, exercising,
cycling, or accessing or departing from a trail, a greenway, or another
similar area, or for any other purpose (other than the purposes
described in section 2.5 of this chapter) does not have an assurance that
the premises are safe for the purpose. is subject to the limitations of
liability granted to the owner of the premises described in
subsection (e).
(e) The owner of the premises does not
   (1) assume responsibility; or
   (2) incur liability;
for an injury to a person or property caused by an act or failure to act
of other persons using the premises. assume responsibility or incur
liability for an injury or damage to a:
   (1) person caused by:
      (A) an act; or
      (B) the failure to act;
   of another person using the premises;
   (2) person caused by a condition on the land; or
   (3) person's property caused by:
      (A) the act of another person using the premises; or
      (B) a condition on the land.
(f) This section does not affect the following:
   (1) Existing Indiana case law on the liability of owners or
   possessors of premises with respect to the following:
      (A) Business invitees in commercial establishments.
      (B) Invited guests.
   (1) Business invitees in for-profit establishments.
   (2) The attractive nuisance doctrine.
(g) This section does not excuse the owner or occupant of premises
from liability for injury to a person or property caused by a malicious
or an illegal act of the owner or occupant.".
Renumber all SECTIONS consecutively.
and when so amended that said bill do pass.
HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150
                              7
  (Reference is to HB 1414 as introduced.)
                                         LINDAUER
Committee Vote: yeas 8, nays 3.
HB 1414—LS 6924/DI 150